Jumping Off The High Dive

Now, many decades ago, I climbed the steep steps up to the high dive at our local community pool in Southern California where I was raised. I’d been swimming most all my life (it was a given that most all the homes had a swimming pool) and from a young age I was able to dive and do back flips, etc., off the diving board. I wasn’t afraid of the water or the depth of pools.  But the high dive was daunting. So high. I don’t recall how long it took me to muster the courage to mount those steps or to walk to the end of the board. I know it was not brief. But I did it… I walked to the end of the board and jumped.  As I recall, the water initially felt like hitting a hard surface and then, suddenly, I was down and swimming up to the pool ledge.  And, climbing out, I jumped again.

I thought of this recently when I decided to look into attending a local gathering. I saw the opportunity and instantly wanted to go. I mean, really wanted to go.  And, I had (have) no idea exactly why!  I read the information, and as I read, those old steps began to look daunting and the whole thing too big, too high. Too high for me. I closed my computer and determined not to think of the matter any longer.  A few days passed and I was drawn to consider the event again. What was drawing me to this event? I don’t honestly know — but I know this, if I don’t jump in somewhere, sometime, I’m kinda worried I’ll never “swim” again. My consideration led me to write to one of my daughters… and in so doing I threw out the idea that I’d like to go to this gathering — and described it to her. I was shocked {but not at all surprised} that she wrote back with a, heck yes, I’ll go with you… I’ll pick you up!

Had I been told, ten years ago exactly, that this would be happening as it is, I’d never have believed it. Sincerely, not in a million years.

So now I’m standing at the top of the steps, but not to the end of the board. It’s high and the stretch to the end of the board is long, and in a day I’ll walk to the end of the board and jump into our daughter’s car and go to the gathering.

I’d like to tell you about it all… and I will.